Commemorative Medal for the arrival to the Netherlands, also called the "Rietkerk Medal", was established in 1986 and awarded to the Moluccan soldiers of the decomissioned KNIL after the independence of Indonesia. The Moluccan soldiers were disappointed when they were discharged from Dutch service. After arrival in the Netherlands they refused for years to leave their shanties. While a tough guerrilla warfare was waged in the Moluccas, the Moluccans in the Netherlands could do nothing but watch as their right to self-determination was ignored by the Netherlands and was suppressed by Indonesia.Therefore, a commemorative medal was instituted. 35 years after the arrival of Moluccans in the Netherlands the medal was awarded to the recipients of the so-called Rietkerk benefit after application. The medal was named after Minister of the Interior Koos Rietkerk.

The round silver medal was designed by Pieter Noya Winterswijk and has a diameter of 35 millimeters . The medal is at the front decorated with a stylized dove habituated to the left . The dove is a symbol of Moluccan invulnerability . The contours of this pigeon correspond with the map of the Netherlands. The dove can also be seen as the sail of a typical Moluccan canoe . In the background is the bay of Ambon pictured at sunrise , the shores of the islands Alang and Nusaniwe are very detailed and illustrated thus clearly recognizable . On both sides of the canoe are native plants depicted . The Moluccan inscription reads : " PENGHARGAAN ATAS PENGORBANAN " . Under the canoe reads the translation in Dutch : " FOR YOUR USE OF APPRECIATION " .

The reverse shows a Alfoerse warrior and a bird of paradise . The inscription reads : " 25 NOV 1986. . " , " Terima kasih " and the Dutch translation " THANK YOU " . The edge is made up of 14 cloves , for centuries the main export product of Ambon .

The medal is worn on a 37 millimeter wide ribbon on the left chest . The ribbon is Nassau blue flanked by two vertical green jobs .